Bicyclist injured by airport shuttle bus awarded $6M

An unidentified bicyclist was awarded $6M for injuries sustained when he was hit by an airport shuttle bus near the John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

Vik Jolly, writing in The Orange County Register, reported that the 32-year-old bicyclist suffered serious injuries including a fractured pelvis and internal injuries in the bicycle accident.
The plaintiff’s law firm said the award was one of the largest bicycle accident settlements in the County’s history. Both sides of the lawsuit signed a confidential agreement prior before a jury trial.

The plaintiff’s attorneys said the shuttle bus driver ran over the man after failing to yield and he admitted to not seeing the bicyclist.

The defendant’s claimed that the bicyclist was not equipped with reflective gear and was under the influence of Xanax and marijuana at the time of the accident.
Confidential Settlement

A confidential settlement is a contract that disputing parties in a lawsuit sign before or after court action begins. Many times, the plaintiffs and defendants in a lawsuit settle the dispute before a trial begins to avoid the stress and legal fees involved.

In this case, the settlement amount probably reflects the fact that the bicyclist continues to suffer chronic pain in his neck, back and pelvis and it is likely that his recovery was a long one.